NATIONAL BODY OF AGROLOGY
Alliance of Canadian Agrology Regulators (ACAR), previously Agrologists Agronomes Canada, is a national body comprised of nine provincial regulators. Ten Agrology Institutes exist across Canada, one for each province (Alberta has opted out). Provincial regulators license agrology professionals and govern their work to ensure public protection in the individual regions through safe, competent, and ethical practice.
As Registrants of the ACAR team, each regulator works together to:
- meet obligations for national labour mobility, i.e., harmonizing licensing requirements so that agrology professionals can have their designation recognized within any province in Canada, and;
- support the role of agrology and professionals in agrology within Canada.
The Board of Directors
- Each member of ACAR may delegate one representative to sit on the Board of Directors. The current Board consists of nine provincial agrology institutes, including BCIA.
Regulation
- Professional Agrologists provide advisory services that support agriculture, agri-tech, agri-business, best environmental practices, and sustainable natural resources in Canada. The British Columbia Institute of Agrologists regulates the profession within the province.
Agrology vs. Agronomy
- The terms “agrology” and “agrologist” are unique to Canada. These terms define various activities, i.e., teaching, research, consulting, and advisory services. The professional advice that agrologists provide considers consequences beyond the individual client.
National Education Standards
- A crucial role of ACAR is to help provincial agrology regulators develop and coordinate national standards. A national commitment to educational and practice standards is in the public interest and encourages professional confidence.
- The regulators have agreed that National Education Standards (NES) are necessary to become a Professional Agrologist (PAg). Adherence to a national education standard supports mobility rights by ensuring that, to the extent allowed by provincial legislation, agrologists have the necessary basic and scientific knowledge to be recognized as agrology professionals in Canada.
- Provincial regulators are responsible for education entrance criteria in their respective provinces. Some provincial agrology regulators* already use the NES as guidelines in their admission process. Other provincial regulators are reviewing how to address challenges in implementing this standard. *NSIA, MIA, SIA, AIA, BCIA
For more information on Alliance of Canadian Agrology Regulators (ACAR), visit the website.